Machine for the assortment of coins



(No Model.)

. H. O. HART. MACHINE FOR THE ASSORTMENT 0P COINS.

No. 461,704. Patepted Oct. 20, 1891.

UITED STATES .ATE'NT' OFFIGE.

HENRY C. HART, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO THE STAR AUTO- MATIC SALES COMPANY, OF MICHIGAN.

MACHINE FOR THE ASSORTMENT OF COINS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 461,704, dated October 20, 1891. Application filed September 1, 1890- Serial No. 363,701. (No model.)

Improvement in Mechanism for the Assortment of Coins or Disks Intended for Use in Automatic Vending-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention consists in a mechanism for the assortment of coins or disks, and is intended for use in automatic vending-machines. I

As my invention relates only to the coinassorting mechanism, I have illustrated this without any connection whatever with a vending-machine, it being understood that it may be connected with any known form of automatic vending-machine.

Figure 1 is an elevation of my mechanism; Fig. 2, an elevation with the casing broken away; Fig. 3, a plan view with the cover removed; Fig. 4, a side elevation of a race; Fig. 5, a plan view thereof; Fig. 6, a plan view of therotating mechanism; and Fig. 7 is a partial side elevation of an equivalent for the supporting-spring.

For purpose of illustration Ihave mounted the mechanism on a block K, it being understood that inputting the mechanism into an automatic vending-machine it will be carried on a suitable support inside the casing of the machine.

A represents a casing, preferably in the form of a cylinder, having a chute E opening through one side thereof and an opening S at its lower end, the bottom of said cylinder being made of an incline D, adapted to throw any articles falling thereon out through the opening S.

F represents a spring carried on a bracket I, its free end extending within the cylinder A.

J represents a set-screw in said bracket for regulating the tension of spring F.

L represents a vertical shaft within cylinder A, running through guides G G carried on said cylinder and resting freely at its lower end upon the free end of spring F, so that the weight of said shaft and its attachments is carried on said spring. P represents a coinrace carried on the upper end of rod L.

As illustrated in the drawings and more particularly shown at Fig. 4, the coin-race P is a zigzag composed of several oppositely-inclined short sections 19, the objectof this construction being to give the race-sufficient inclination to cause a coin to traverse the race freely and yet to retain the coin on therace sufficiently long to permit the assorting mechanism to act. The race may of course be made of other forms than that shown; but I think the one shown economizes space and it has been found satisfactory in its operation. It is probable, however, that the specific form of this part of the device will require to be modified to suit the available space of different forms of automatic vending apparatus.

The coin-race being supported on the spring F, it is evident that the weight of a coin on the coin-race will to a greater or less extent depress the spring. The apparatus is so arranged thatas the race P and shaft L are depressed by the weight of a coin on the race, the said race and shaft have a rotary or horizontal as well as a vertical movement. The mechanism illustrated for this purpose consists of a split pin N fastened to shaft L, and a spiral wire M secured to the guide G, encircling shaft L and running through the split pin N, whereby the shaft L in rising or falling is compelled to follow the spiral course of the wire M. screw traversing in a nut, and may be attained in any of the known ways of combinin g a reciprocating and rotary motion.

C represents the coin-chute of a vendingrnachine of any type, the lower end of which.

is directly above the upper end of the race P when that is at its highest position.

B represents a cover to cylinder A, which I have illustrated for the purpose of supporting the chute O, and R indicates a pin in the cylinder connecting with a slot in the flange or cover B, to insure correct position of chute O. In constructing a complete vending-' machine the cover B will not be necessary, as the chute C will be otherwise supported. T, Fig. 1, represents the upper edge of each section of the race P, which may be simply a wire to hold the coin in position when it is not desired to stamp the section p complete out of sheet metal.

The operation of my invention is as fol- The principle is that of a lows: Then in a state of rest the parts will be in the position shown in Figs. 2 and 3. If now a coin be dropped through the chute 0, 1t W111 fall upon the race P and begin to travel down said race. The weight of said coin will overcome the resistance of the spring F and carry the race 1? and shaft L downward and horizontally, until the delivery end of the race P will assume a vertical position at that point where the increased tension of the spring F counterbalances the weight of the shaft L and race P with the coin, and a horizontal position, which is determined by the spiral wire M. Under this point is placed a chute E, which is made sufficiently Wider than the thickness of the proper coin to compensate for differences in weight between new and worn coins. The result is that the coin when it leaves the race P falls into the chute E, and thence travels to the delivery mechanism of the machine. If, however, a disk lighter than the proper coin be passed through the chute (J, the race P and shaft L will not be depressed as far as by the proper coin, and therefore the horizontal position of the delivery end of race P will not register with chute E, and the disk or coin Wlll be dropped outside of said chute and fall on the inclined bottom D and be conducted out of the machine. If a disk or coin heavier than the proper coin he dropped through chute C it will depress the race P and shaft L farther than a proper coin will do,and therefore the delivery end of the race P will be turned farther than by the proper coin, so that the disk or coin will be delivered beyond the chute E onto the inclined bottom D.

It is evident that instead of the spring F a counterbalanced lever or scale-beam may be used to support the shaft L, as indicated in Fig. 6, in which F represents a lever pivoted on bracket I, and J represents an adjustable weight on said lever.

It will be noticed that the balance race or chute in this machine is not pivoted so that it tilts or turns under the weight of a coin, but that the whole race rises and falls together in the same plane, whereby the inclination of the race is the same at all times,

thus preventing undue acceleration of movement, which always ensues where a coin descends the tilting race.

\Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an automatic vending-machine, a balanced coin-race carried on a movable support and free from connection with any stationary 3. A coin-weighing mechanism consisting.

of a balanced race, a spiral connected with said race, and'a coin-receiving chute at a predetermined point in said spiral, substantially as shown and described.

4. A balanced coin-race, in combination with a pin and a spiral wire, whereby said coin-race is compelled to rotate as it moves vertically, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

5. A balanced zigzag coin-race having its upper end normally registering with a chute for the reception of coin, a spiral connected with said race, and a coin-ch ute at a predetermined point on said spiral, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

HENRY C. HART.

Witnesses:

CYRUS E. Lornaor, GERTRUDE H. ANDERSON. 

